Eduardo, having left Mexico early in his childhood, calls himself 'Teddy' now to fit in better in the United States. He fights in the war as a soldier, but when they suddenly come under fire, Teddy takes refuge in a cathedral and loses consciousness. When he comes to his senses, he recalls his training and uses his supplies to tend to his shattered leg as best as he can, and when that is done, he knows there is nothing to do but wait out the enemy until it is safe to leave. With nothing else to do, Teddy ponders his dislike of religion. He likens it to superstition and thinks about the ruinous effect it can have on people's lives. He remembers the death of his mother in his youth; at the time, he believed that a God who let mothers die was no God at all. This contempt for faith carried into his adulthood, where he ridiculed girls for their 'naive' belief in love and religion. In war-torn Spain, he argued with local women who believed that prayer would help their soldier husbands - even though he knew, innately, that they would not listen. Flashbacks to his past are not helpful for Teddy. The man hiding out in the church with him is killed by a stray bullet seconds after he assures Teddy of his belief in God's protection, and Teddy thinks bitterly about how he nearly became a priest in his youth. Countless losses in his life have hardened his heart, but Teddy's wound slowly costs him his life. Now dying, he calls out for his mother at last.